A Newsie By Chance, A Mother By Choice
by AnnasOtherLife
Summary: Annabella Lavud had never had the best life. Her brother is ill and she's the only one who cares for him. Until one night, when she runs away, only to somehow end up in 1899. With no were to go, she changes her identity and becomes part of the Newsies. But, it's hard to shake her motherly tendencies, and if anyone found out who SHE was, she could end up being yesterdays news.
1. Chapter 1

**Heeeeeeeey! It's super nice of you to read this story! I'm going to work really really hard on it! Promise! But just a note about this chapter I know there's not much Newsies in it but the next ones will I PROMISE! This one is mostly for background knowledge that will help you relate to everything!**

"I'm going to get you!" I said laughing. I was chasing my four year old brother Blake around the living room.

"No you wont!" He yelled back in a high pitched little voice.

"Oh really!" I said running up behind him and picking him up, "I got you!"

He laughed and wiggled in my arms but I held him tight, then sat down with him on the sofa.

"What do you want to do now?" I asked placing him in my lap.

He shrugged his shoulders and laid his head on my chest. "I don't know, but I don't want to run around agian" he said softly "I don't feel good anymore."

I frowned holding him close to me. I knew this would happen, it always did. He would get random bursts of energy and then they would just go away, leaving him tired and feeling sick. All of his medication did that to him.

"I'm sorry baby" I said rubbing his back, "is it your tummy that hurts this time or your head?"

"My tummy" he whined wrapping his arms around his middle.

"Aww sweetie I'm sorry" I said looking over at the clock, "but it's time for you to have more medicine."

He sighed but knew there was no point in arguing with me. The medicine was keeping him alive and he knew it, but that didn't make him like it anymore. I picked him up and carried him into the kitchen, placing him on the counter. I walked over to the mini fridge and got out the right vile and syringe of his medication, filling it with the correct amount.

"Okay quick pinch" I said as he extended his arm out to me and I administered the medication. He winced but kept still as I finished.

"Good job Blakie, all done" I said taking out the needle and disposing of it, then taking him back over to the sofa. "Do you wanna take a nap or watch a movie with sissy?

"Watch a movie" he said looking tired "can we watch Newsies?"

I smiled turning it on then sitting down, knowing what he was doing. Even for a four year old, Blake knew that Newsies was my go to movie whenever I was stressed.

I had been beyond stressed lately. The three jobs I've been working for starting to conflict with my babysitting schedule, Blake's condition was getting much worse, and it seemed that mom has finally just lost it. She'd had been so strong, but when dad left everything just fell apart for her and I finally had to take over. Then Blake was born and she finally started to get better. But when he turned two and they found the tumor, she lost it for good. So at seventeen had to give up everything. Family, friends, boyfriends, my dreams of performing, you name it I gave it up to take care of him. I was there for every doctors appointment, every hospital visit, every bad dream, every crying fit, every vomiting episode, and every everything. Where was mom? Working or partying. So much of the money she made went into her drinks that we weren't making enough for his medication anymore, and I had to jump in. Three jobs. Eighteen hours a day. But I made it work and was always home in time from when he came home from his "specialized daycare." Until today. I had a huge money making job that I knew I would have to go to but that also meant mom would have to be alone with him for an hour, which tariffed me. I knew mom could take care if him, but I didn't know if she would.

"Hey baby can we talk for a second" I said pausing the movie and looking down at him. He nodded and tried to sit up slightly. "You know moms going to be watching you for a while today right?"

"Yes" he said softly.

"Well you know how she can get kind of "sleepy" (drunk) sometimes..."

"Yes"

"I want you to call me if she starts acting that way alright? I just refreshed the run away bag and I'll come right home if she dose."

The "run away bag" had been one of my ideas to calm him down one night. He was crying and saying he wanted to run away, so I made him a deal. The deal was that if it ever got to bad I would make and grab the run away bag and we would flee. I had packed everything we would ever need in it, medical supplies, emergency cash (around 3,000$ that I had saved just in case), and much more. At first I did it just for him to feel better, but as things got worse I kept it for just as much my sake as him.

"I will I promise" he said crawling back into my lap, "now shhh it's the king of New York song!"

I smiled and held him close to me, looking over to the clock to see it was 5:17 and I had to be at work by 5:45 so mom should be home soon. As if on cue the door opened and our mom walked it.

"Hellooo" she said walking in and smiling at Blake, "are you ready to spend some time with me."

I frowned at how happy she was acting, normally she only was that way when she was drunk, still I didn't smell any signs of it. "Mom can we talk for a second?"

"Fine" she said sternly to me as we walked into the dining room. I was slightly glad that was being stern with me, that proved she wasn't drunk.

"Okay he has already had his medications for the day and should be about ready for a nap." I said giving her information on that to to do.

"Annabella I know how to raise my own son" she said acting as if I was stupid.

I wanted to yell at her that he was more mine son than hers but I didn't want to start an argument. So we walked back into the living room and I kissed Blake on the forehead. "Okay baby I have to now. You be a good boy and remember what I told you. I love you."

He smiled and hugged me "I love you too!"

I looked to mom and reluctantly opened the door and left. I had a worried feeling in the pit of my stomach about all of this, but I had no choice. I took a deep breath and backed away from the drive way, preying this whole wouldn't take long.

-

"I'm home" I said placing my bag on the table and looking around, "mom where's Blake?"

"In bed" she said not looking away from the TV screen "said he was tired and wanted you, so I sent him to bed."

I sighed at her then walked into his room to see him on one side, sleeping. I smiled and sat down beside him and gently rubbing my hand on his back. I didn't mean to wake him but he did and turned to look at me.

"Annabella I don't feel good" he said trying to sit up "my head and tummy really hurt plus I feel weak."

"Oh baby I'm sorry, you know I didn't want to leave you when you were sick" I said feeling is forehead to find it not very warm "do you feel like your going to be sick?"

"Mabey" he whined holding his stomach.

I got up and grabbed the trash can and handed it to him. He took it and was sick on cue. I rubbed his back and waited for him to stop. Then he lifted his head for me to see his mouth and nose covered with blood.

"Oh God" I whispered realizing what was happening but not wanting to scare him, "baby come on we need to go to the hospital."

"N-no" he said starting to cry "I've been getting better! I don't wanna go back!"

"I'm sorry" I said picking him up gently in one arm and the"run away bag in the other, "but we don't have a choice this time." I quickly ran out of the room only stoping in the living room to grab my keys, but then realizing mom was in there.

"What's going on!" She yelled looking at Blake's weak body "what happened to Blake."

"He's relapsing" I said quickly "and I need to get him to the ER now!"

"I'm coming to!" She yelled standing up "I'll drive, you hold him in the back!"

It's sad that only at times like this was when she starts acting like a real mother. One with compassion and love. But that didn't matter, we just needed to get him safe.

I tossed her my keys and ran out to the car, jumping in the back seat with Blake. Mom jumped in the front and quickly began driving. I held him close to me, completely ignoring the blood getting all over my shirt, trying to comfort him best I could.

"Annabella" he said in a whisper "I'm I going to die this time?"

I looked at him shocked and tried to keep myself from crying. "No baby, why would you even think that" I said lovingly.

"Are you sure" he whispered "because right now, I really just want to fall asleep for forever."

"Baby lesson to me" I said sternly but with compassion in my voice "you are not going to leave me tonight. Your going to go get some more medicine that will make you feel all better. Then you will come home and everything will be the same again. I need you here with me buddy, I don't know what I would do without you. I love you to the moon and back."

"I love you even more than that" he said with a weak smile and closing his eyes to sleep"I'll try to stay for you I promise."

I kissed the top of his balding head and held him super close to me. But soon we were near the ER and went to wake him, but there was no response. "Blake?" I said my voice going high "BLAKE!"

We pulled up to the ER. Mom dropped us off at the front and pulled the car around. I quickly got out and ran to the right room screaming, "someone please help me! He won't wake up!" Two nurses came running over and a doctor took him from me. I went to follow them but a nurse looked over my appearance and pushed me back "I'm sorry parents or parents consent only."

"Look" I half yelled at her "I'm the closest thing he has to a mother, I'm his blood sister and our biological mother is on the way. Someone needed to be there if- when he wakes up!"

"Alright" she said and with that I quickly ran, following the doctor. I looked at Blake and then at the doctor and yelled "no no your holding him wrong! He hates it when he's held like that! JUST GIVE HIM TO ME!"

Shocked at my reaction the doctor obeyed and handed him to me. I lifted him correctly with his head at my shoulder and followed the doctor. Soon we were at the room and I gently laid Blake onto the tiny bed, then watched as the doctors and nurses began picking, prodding, and placing things on Blake.

All I could do was watch horror. And for the first time that night I got a tariffing thought.

What if he does die tonight?

But no that wasn't going to happen. Blake needed me and as much as I didn't want to say it, I needed him. Blake was the only reason I got up in the morning. The only reason I smiled every night I came home. Blake was why I breathed, why I smiled, why I laughed. Blake was why I lived. And if he died... I would have no reason to live. I looked over to Blake, then to the doctors and nurses, then back to Blake. I sighed and looked off to nowhere and spoke to no one whispering "Blake has to get better, someone please let me help him."


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys, so this prologue is going to take a little bit longer than I was expecting but I promise Newsies will be in here really soon! There should only be about one more chapter without them after this, and then will be in almost every chapter from then on! So just look out for chapter 4 or 5 and then you'll get your Newsies fix. Sorry about the inconvenience, Stay beautiful!**

**Days later**

"There's not much more we can do" I heard the doctor say for the third time that day, as I sat stroking Blake's hair "you should really just go home and rest." I had been glued beside for the past days, hoping will all my will that he would wake up.

The cancer had spread in his little body, and he was having a hard time fighting it. His only hope to live was an experimental medication that had never been used on a child his age. Mom had agreed before learning the expected side effects or even mentioning it to me- and now my pride and joy was in a coma. And as you could imagine- I was livid.

**Flash back to the last night he was awake**

"Wa- wait, he's could go into a coma?!" I almost yelled at the doctor standing in the waiting room with me and my mother.

"Yes" he said freakishly calm, "as we said with the experimental medication this was always a high possibility, we gave him a low dose and it put him into a coma for around five hours, with the greater amount of medication we fear that it will be more severe, and-."

"Wait what medication?" I asked confused.

Mom turned to me and motioned for the doctor to leave. He understood and with a quick nod, left.

"Annabella" she began, "they asked me if I wanted to give Blake a drug that they had never used on a child before. He had a greater chance of dying without it than living, so I told them to. I didn't know he could go into a coma..."

"How could you not know!" I said almost yelling, "Didn't they tell you!"

"Well yes" she said quietly "but I had already signed the papers by that time..."

"I CANT BELIEVE YOU!" I screamed starting to cry, "HES MY CHILD TOO, HES MY LIFE MOM! YOU SHOULD HAVE TALKED TO ME ABOUT IT!" It's not that I was really mad that she had signed the papers, it was that she hasn't spoken to me about it. Blake really was more my child than hers and it killed me that mom got to make decisions for him and not me.

"ANNABELLA HE WOULD HAVE DIED" she screamed, but then realized the seriousness and slowly repeated it "he would have died."

"I know, I know, I KNOW!" I said trying to calm myself down, "you still should have talked to me!"

She turned her head down and mumbled something along the lines of "died."

"What?" I said confused, but she just turned her head, shanking it no.

"What did you just say!" I yelled forcefully.

"AHHHH MABEY I SHOULD HAVE JUST LET HIM DIE" she yelled with great force, "OUR LIVES WOULD BE SO MUCH EASIER!"

That's when I lost it.

"HOW DARE YOU!" I screamed "HOW DARE YOU! YOU DIDNT RAISE ME, MUCH LESS HIM! I HAVE GIVEN UP EVERYTHING SO THAT HE WAS HEALTHY AND HAPPY! E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G! HES MORE MY SON THAN YOURS! YES I SAID IT! BECAUSE ITS TRUE! YOUR NEVER AROUND AND WHEN YOU ARE, YOUR SO DRUNK HE DOSNT KNOW WHAT TO DO! IM SORRY DAD LEFT! YOU DONT UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH I AM, BUT BLAKE DOSNT UNDERSTAND IT! IM MORE HIS MOTHER THAN YOU WILL EVER BE!"

She stood back stunned and tears began coming to her eyes, but she didn't say anything.

I took a deep breath and wiped the tears from my eyes. "I'm going to go check on him."

I quickly walked away from her and into his room. He was half way setting up in his bed, with his eyes closed. I walked up beside him and gently smoothed back his hair. Once feeling me he half opened his eyes to me.

"Hey baby" I cood "how are you feeling?"

"Sleepy" he said with a yawn "were you and mom yelling at each other?"

"Oh baby we weren't-" then he gave me his be serious stare, which I'm not gonna lie, is pretty hilarious coming from a child under the age of five.

"Alright, we were, but it's not your fault," I said smiling.

"I know" he said with his adorable smile, "sissy will you do me a favor?"

"Sure anything you want" I said brushing back his hair again.

"When I'm asleep, please don't deal with mommy" he said leaning into me.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath "okay baby, I will."


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys, Newsies should be in the next chapter! Thanks for hanging in there with me, I really appreciate it! Stay Beautiful!  
**

**Chapter 3**

It had been a few hours since Blake had fallen into his coma for good, and I was ready to run. But for good measure I decided to give mom one last chance. I walked out of the room where he was back into the waiting room to see her somewhat slumped over in a chair, asleep.

"Mom" I said shaking her shoulder gently "mom!"

"Ummmm oh heyyyyyyyyyy" she said sleepily yet overly excited, "what's up?!"

"Blake's asleep" I said trying not to show emotion "what's up with you?"

"Oh he's asleep, finally we can go back home!" She said somewhat excited "come on you drive!"

"What! Your going to leave while your only son is dying in the hospital!" I yelled surprise, I was so out of it from not having sleep I didn't really realize what was going on.

"Well duuuuuuuuuuh" she said grabbing my face "wow I can't believe I made youuuuuuuu!"

"Wait are you drunk!" I said slapping her arms away, "how did you even get alcohol! Wait, you left the hospital! How I have the keys!"

"HAHAHAHAHAHA I took a 20 out of your purse and gave it to some guy to go get me beer, he came back and gave me it but I let them keep the change!" She said overly happy and proud of herself, "now let's go home I don't feel really good."

I stared at her lifeless and unloving eyes and almost saw myself back in them. I had come to give her a second chance but she wasn't going to excepted it, now I knew what I had to do.

"I can't believe you" I said firmly to her, "and I can't believe I have to be the bigger person here, you're not going to take care of me and Blake that's plan to see, and I should've done something about it long ago."

"What are you going to do, you're just a kid you can't do anything" she said with almost an evil laugh "you just a bum that lives off of me!"

"Yeah I'm the bum" I said lifelessly to her "and I'm calling someone to get you taken away, you can't care for Blake in the condition your and, and I can't have you getting in my way of doing it!"

"you don't have the guts!" She said, &amp; with that she proceeded to punch me in the face. My nose instantly started to bleed, and I wanted to punch her back even harder, but I didn't. I just stared at her with pure horror.

She seemed to understand what you done then, and instantly started groveling for me to forgive her.

"My baby I'm so sorry" she said with a sickly fake loving sound, "it was the booze working, I'm so sorry there's no need to tell on me I won't do it again."

"No don't even pull that" I said calmly even though I was extremely angry, "this isn't the first and this won't be the last. Now that Blake is safe here, I have no choice but to do what I'm going to do."

Before she could say anything else I walked down to the nurses station. A female nurse that had worked on Blake before, with the name of Hillary, turned away from her papers and saw my nose and gasped, "oh dear, what happened to you!"

"my mother punched me" I said extremely serious "she's an alcoholic, and this isn't the first time, can you please get someone down here from the alcoholic wing to take her, she's been there before they have to file on record."

"Oh, of course" she said sympathetically "but what about you, do you have any where to go?"

"Yes I do" I said lying "I have an uncle that lives a little while from here. I'll just drive over to his house and stay with him, he's technically my other legal guardian anyways."

"Well okay then" she said sadly picking up the phone, "you just gather your things to be on your way, I'll be sure to give you a call if anything happens with Blake."

I nodded thanks, and walked back over to where mom sat with my bags. She looked up to me with evil eyes and said "I know you didn't do it, you would never hurt me like that!"

"You're right" I said calmly looking to her, "I would never hurt you, or anyone else. But I would do anything to help anyone even if it is you." As I finished I saw that you doors open to reveal two men in white uniforms, informing me that they were from the alcohol department.

Mom looked at me with pure hatred and her eyes smacked me in the face again, screaming "I HATE YOU, HATE YOU, HATE YOU! I SHOULD'VE GOTTEN RID OF YOU LONG-AGO AND ESPECIALLY BLAKE, I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU WOULD BETRAY ME LIKE THIS! YOU'RE JUST AS BAD AS THAT STUPID FATHER OF YOURS! AND I WILL NEVER LOVE YOU!"

I wanted to cry, but I knew if I did it would only enrage her more, so I sat there looking at her blankly trying to ignore the evil word she just said. I watch her try to run but the two men grabbed her put her on a stretcher as she kicked and screamed. They looked at me with pure sadness in their eyes and then we'll wheeled off finally leaving me alone, only then did I let the tears fall. Not only for me, or for mom, but for Blake who was going to wake up to realize his mother was put back into the horrible place that she used to describe to him before bed, just to put fear into his eyes. I didn't want to send her back, but I didn't know what else to do, but now I knew what I had to do, even if it didn't seem to be the right choice.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

**Car**

After they took mom away, I had immediately left the hospital. I just couldn't stay there knowing that my pride and joy could died any moment and knowing that my mother was being treated as the insane person she was. And now I was in the car, driving down the dark roads, trying to figure out what I was going to do with my life now.

Would I go wait at a friends house? No, I didn't have any of those. Maybe a family member would take me. No, no one loved mom anymore I was the only one left. Still trying to figure everything out, I realized I needed gas. I sighed, and looked around the familiar road for a gas station. To my surprise, I saw one with the name of Mary Jane's on the sign. I was hesitant seeing the name, and knowing that I had never been to the station, but I really didn't care anymore I just knew I needed gas. So, I pulled into the pump, whipped my eyes, and went in to pay.

The inside of the station was even odder than the outside. It was musty on the inside of the building, and had the strange smell of garlic and gasoline. Still, I walked up to the clerk and put a 20 on the counter.

"20$ on pumped three please" I said sweetly trying to hide the tears in my voice.

The woman turned around to see my face. Even for an older woman she was beautiful, striking blue eyes and straight brown hair down to her shoulders. She smiled at me but I could see pity. "Doll!" She said kindly, "what could be the matter?!"

"Oh it's nothing-" I paused to look down at her name tag, "Mary."

"Nope I can tell when something is wrong with somebody" she said coming back from behind the counter with a chair and her hand "Mary's here now, tell me what's been going on."

Honestly, I was extremely confused, but I was so desperate for companionship I decided to tell her everything. "My baby brother, who is like my son, is deathly ill. They don't know if he's going to make it. And my mom's an alcoholic, I just had to report her. Oh, and my dad left us for some other woman leaving me and let alone with our crazy mother, and now I'm running away to somewhere."

"Ohhhhh" she said with a slightly gleam in her eye and running back behind the counter and seemed to be looking for something, "well then, you've come to the right place, old Mary can help you!"

"what do you mean?" I said with a slight smile. I didn't understand this woman, but I thought she was probably mental so I just played along.

"I know it's in here somewhere, I just- Yurika!" She said coming back out from behind the counter with something in her hands "here these should help!"

I looked down confused but then smiled "train tickets?"

"But of course!" She said with the biggest smile, "these train tickets will take you to the land of your dreams."

I continued to play along, but now I was getting a bit hesitant. "Really? The land of my dreams, hun?"

But now she looked at me with serious eyes, kind, but serious eyes and said "i'm not crazy. I've been in your shoes before, I've lost my son too. And these tickets were my only way to get back to him. But I don't think I can use them anymore. Please, take them and go to your happy place in place of me going to mine. I know I seem crazy, but I know what I'm talking about."

I don't know why, but I seem to trust this woman. "You really want me to go?" I said with a smile still playing along. I really didn't think these were magic tickets, but I needed somewhere to go and this woman needed to be happy so I was willing to sacrifice for her.

"Yes please" she said gently smiling, "just go to Billy Ray's old train station, you still should have time just give him the ticket, he knows what to do."

"Okay Mary" I said smiling, "if this is what you want I'll do it, especially for you. "

"Oh thank you darling, you won't regret this!" She said her eyes gleaming again, "oh, and the gas and tickets are on me! Now go GO!"

She nearly pushed me out the door, but I smiled. I walked back over to my car, pumped gas, and got back and then turn right to head to Billy Ray's old train station. I didn't know where I was going, but I really didn't care anymore, I guess were ever these tickets were going to send me, would become my new happy place. And if I hated it, I could always buy a ticket back.


End file.
